New Lifts, Pistes & Snowmaking in Les 3 Vallées for 2018/19

It’s less than four months now until Val Thorens in Les 3 Vallées opens on 17 November, with Courchevel, Méribel and Les Menuires following on 08 December.

Skiers to Les 3 Vallées can look forward to several new lifts that will be in operation for this winter season:

Méribel

Méribel has two new chairlifts opening. The Cherferie button lift is being replaced by a 6-seater chairlift that will take 2824 skiers to the top per hour in just four minutes.

The Legends is a new premium chairlift with heated seats and a pull-down shield that will replace the Plan de l’Homme and Roc de Fer lifts and take 3600 skiers per hour from La Chaudanne to the top in 4 minutes 40 seconds.

Les Menuires

In Les Menuires the Bruyères gondola, which links the resort to Les 3 Vallées, is being renovated. There will be new 8-seater cabins and the lift will be faster.

The Roc 1 gondola will be updated with an extension of the base station and an increased capacity from 2800 to 3200 skiers and snowboarders per hour.

Capacity has also been increased on the Grange chairlift which will now be able to take 2600 skiers per hour (instead of 1800).

Courchevel

The Grangettes gondola from Courchevel Village to Courchevel 1850 is being replaced. The old four-seated cabins will be replaced by new cabins with seating for 10 skiers and taking 2 minutes 55 seconds instead of five minutes. The uplift capacity will be 2400 people per hour.

Courchevel is also investing €1 million in new generation snow makers to enhance their ski guarantee. In total 26 new machines will be put on the Lac des Creux and Rama runs.

Val Thorens

Val Thorens is investing €450,000 this year to improve the artificial snow system – even though it already has a great snow record as the highest ski resort in Europe.

Out of date equipment will be replaced and specific areas such as ‘The Grenouillère’ will have additional snow making installed.

In Val Thorens, a new blue slope is being created this summer at the top of the Cime de Caron at 3195m. This will make it easier for all ski levels to ski from the highest point in Les 3 Vallées. The new slope will be 3.2km long with a vertical drop of 570m.